This invention relates to marking tapes for use on roadways to provide temporary marking and demarcation of traffic lanes. More specifically, this invention relates to removable marking tapes of high visibility and reflectivity having a long service life.
Temporary roadway marking tapes are known in the prior art, but have presented several problems. The most apparent and serious problem has been the difficulty of providing a tape that can withstand the substantial shear stresses applied by vehicle wheels. These stresses often cause the tapes to slide on the roadway, thereby detaching the tape. These stresses can also cause tearing, ripping and wrinkling of the tape.
A related problem is that a tape of sufficient adhesion to resist dislocation and damage is extremely difficult to remove when the location of the marker is to be changed. Prior tapes often tended to come off in bits and pieces instead of in the long strips in which they were applied. This was especially true of the metal-based tapes in the prior art, which although more resistant to wear, were nearly impossible to remove.
Yet another problem is that to resist the tearing and ripping caused by the stresses applied, the tape had to be thick. This thickness caused the tape to protrude from the roadway, subjecting it to even greater stresses as well as increased abrasion. The thickness also added to the weight and bulk of the tape, causing inconvenience in the shipping, storing, and handling of the tape.